


There Will Be Blood

by springburn



Series: The Thick of It mini-fics [44]
Category: The Thick of It (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Comfort, F/M, Love, M/M, Male Friendship, Marriage, friends being there for each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 11:33:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5867683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springburn/pseuds/springburn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jamie's wife rings Malcolm, Jamie has gone AWOL.....and she's worried.....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a two part story. It is taken from an excellent prompt from @petersgal.  
> Thank you. Xxx
> 
> "Jamie can't cope when a tragedy happens and its down to malcolm and sam to get him through it..all yours...."
> 
> This is the first part of the story......

THERE WILL BE BLOOD.  
PART ONE.

 

Malcolm's mobile trilled.  
"Tucker!" 

"Malcolm? It's Ellie. Have you seen Jamie?"

"No love. He's not here." 

"He's not answering his phone Malc. I don't know where he is. I'm really worried. He went out jogging, but that was over three hours ago....." 

"I'll go look for him. Don't worry Ellie. He won't be far away." 

Sobs came down the phone.

"Ellie.....what's wrong?" 

"He's not been himself this last couple of weeks. Keeps going off. I don't know where. When I asked him, he went mental, shouting at me. He's out of control Malc. I feel like I'm losing him." 

"I'll find him. Bring him home. Okay?" 

"Okay. Thanks Malcolm. Bye!" 

Malcolm went through into the living room. Car keys in hand.  
"Sam! That was Ellie. She's upset. Jamie has gone AWOL. I'm gonna go look for him.....I think I know where he might be, but he's not answering his phone. She's worried."  
His wife frowned.  
"Again? He went off the other day, and was gone hours, she thought he'd been drinking when he came home. And Jamie doesn't drink much as a rule." 

"Fuck! I wonder what the hell's wrong with him? Don't know how long I'll be love. Got my phone though, okay?"  
"Okay, darling. Hope he's alright." She came to her husband's side and kissed him warmly.  
"Love you!"  
"Love you too. See you later." 

Malcolm drove to all the places he thought Jamie might be, but no luck. 

He ended up parking the car and heading down the tow path along the river. After ten minutes or so walking briskly with his long stride, he could see a wooden bench up ahead.  
A man sitting on it. 

It was his best friend. 

His head was in his hands. Bowed over.  
He looked up as Malcolm approached. Eyes wide with surprise.

"What the fuck......?" He began.  
"I might say the same! What the fuck is up with you?" Malcolm sat down at his side. 

"Fuck off! I came out for a bit of peace." Jamie leaned back against the bench with a huff. 

"Fuck off? This is me you're talking to! You've got a wife at home who's fucking frantic, you cunt. She rang me all in a lather. She's fucking worried about you. And so am I. So you gonna tell me what the fuck is going on?" Malcolm glared angrily at his friend. 

"Fuck! FUCK! FUCK!" Jamie's head went into his hands again and he began to cry silently. His mouth was open, his shoulders shook, chest heaving.......but no sound came out.  
Suddenly he sucked in a long deep breath and let out a noise, like a roaring engine. Which grew in volume and intensity, until his friend was releasing great sobbing wails.  
Malcolm was quite taken aback, and for a moment was unsure how to react.  
Eventually he gathered Jamie into a solid bear hug. Arms right around him, his hand on Jamie's head, holding it into his chest, as he continued to weep.  
A dog walker went passed, and stared long and hard at the two men.  
Malcolm sneered at him.

"We're lovers........fucking get over it!" He spat. 

The man grimaced in disgust and hurried away. 

Malcolm didn't speak or question, he waited for his friend to gradually calm, before handing him a handkerchief to wipe his snotty face.  
"What the fuck is going on with you bro?" He said quietly.  
The face that looked into Malcolm's was one of utter despair. 

"I've lost everything mate. The whole fucking lot! Down the Swanny! Every fucking thing!"  
He hiccoughed a couple of times, in an effort to stop himself from bawling again.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Malcolm released him from his embrace and stared at his friend without comprehension. 

"City Trading! My mate from the newspaper, and me, we put our whole wad into it. Three years ago, when I got married. Seemed like a great deal.....it WAS a great deal!" 

Malcolm's mind was whirring.  
Of course he'd heard about City Trading. Two weeks or so ago they'd gone bust. It was all over the news. Rocking the financial world.  
Some cunts in a cartel had been doing illegal trades. Their speculation incurred massive losses, they went further and further into debt, then punted big to make up the deficit, but lost again, just as heavily. Each time the group took another risk they lost more and more, eventually the whole pack of cards had come tumbling down.  
Many people had lost a hell of a lot of money. Whole companies were bankrupted. Individual investors had lost a packet. Apparently his best friend was one of them. 

"Fucking hell Jamie!" Malcolm whistled.

"It's fucking everything I had mate. I'm behind with the mortgage, there are bills I can't cover. It was my income, it bolstered up what I earn. Helped buy that socking great house. It's my pension fund.....it's my fucking kid's future. The whole fucking cahooney." 

"And you've been sitting on this for more than a fortnight! Why the fucking hell didn't you say something? You stupid twat!" Malcolm put his hand on Jamie's shoulder. 

"What the fuck could I say? Hey, Malc, guess what? I've just lost everything I ever had......fucking hell! It's all gone tits up. What the fuck am I going to do?" Tears began to come again.

"Clearly you haven't told Ellie? You've got to tell her bro. She's got a right to know!"  
Jamie's face changed.

"How the fuck do I tell my wife that I'm a useless pile of shite. With no fucking balls. Who's just pished her whole fucking life and her kid's up the wall? How do I tell her the home she lives in is going to be repossessed, and that the complete ballsack she married is the cause of it? How? Hey? Any suggestions?"

"Jamie.....you're not going to be cast out onto the street. Get a grip for fucks sake! I'll make sure the house is sorted. Then we'll go from there. There may be a chance to recoup something. You might not have lost it all. I've got money......fuck mate.....I'll see you right, you know I will. I'm not going to sit by and watch you sink into the quicksand.....you or your family. What sort of a friend would that make me? Eh?" 

Jamie stood up and began to pace up and down the towpath in front of Malcolm.

"It's not up to you to fucking bail me out! You're not putting your bollocks in a vice for my sake!  
Fuck! This is my mess, my fault it's all gone pear shaped, and I'll have to get myself out of it. There's no other way. It's just so bloody unfair Malc! It's my whole fucking working life......everything I've ever striven for. My poor wife.....fuck, what is Ellie going to say? She'll fucking leave me.......and what about Jess......? It's her school fees and what I put by for when she goes to Uni......everything!" 

Malcolm stood up and took hold of Jamie firmly by the shoulders.

"Get a hold of yourself before I fucking clock you one! Jess is three.....for Christ's sake, you don't have to worry about her fucking Uni just yet! Ellie loves you, you stupid cunt. She's not going to pack her bags and fuck off. You're a partnership! A team. Fuck knows why, but you're the light in her darkness, her dish of the day! That's not going to fucking change mate! No way!  
Now, come on......I'm taking you home. She's worried sick about you.....and rightly so! She's wondering what the fuck's going on.....she probably thinks you've got another bird holed up somewhere sticking plugs up your arse!"

Malcolm half dragged, half frogmarched his friend back towards where he'd left the car. 

"When we get back, I'll leave you to talk to Ellie. Okay?" Jamie nodded, desolate.  
"Then you both get yourselves in your car, bring Jess, she can bunk in bed with Grace. Bring your papers and financial stuff with you.....we'll open a bottle of wine, Sam'll make us all dinner, and we'll go through everything. Every last fucking farthing. See what the damage is and work out what we can do about it. Alright? I'll expect you in an hour or so......" 

"Fuck....Malc!" 

"Just fucking do as you're told for once in your life....eh bro?"

He pulled up outside Jamie's home. Ellie came rushing down the front path in tears.  
"Jamie! Where in God's name have you been?" 

She hugged him tight, then hugged Malcolm.  
"Go easy on him babe.....he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders! Round ours....you three......in an hour. Okay?" Malcolm hissed into her ear. 

She pulled back, searching Malcolm's face for some clue.  
Jamie had already gone inside.  
"Where was he?" She asked, tearfully.  
"Towpath. He'll tell you. He really needs you right now. Listen....Ellie, don't put Jess to bed, bring her round.....we'll be waiting......okay? When you've spoken to him."  
Ellie nodded and hurried inside after her husband, wiping her eyes. 

Malcolm got back into the car and headed home.  
What a fucking shit day!


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie and Ellie go round to Malcolm's house to thrash out a solution.   
> Malcolm realises just how lucky he is.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second part of the story, taken from the second prompt by @petersgal.  
> I was able to fit the two prompts together into one story. 
> 
> "(Was thinking maybe a follow on from the prompt i gave you???your choice my friend..
> 
> Malcolm takes stock of everything in his life after the tragedy..thats it,and of course i will come up with some lightness and yeah smut,like a good bit of spice in life..:)"
> 
> So Part Two.......

THERE WILL BE BLOOD.  
PART TWO.

 

It was less than hour when Jamie's car drew up outside Malcolm's house.   
Jamie climbed out with a sleeping Jess, Velcro'd to his hip. Her dark head resting on his shoulder. Sam ran down to the car to wrap her welcoming arms around Ellie.   
The two stood on the pavement, in a tight hug.   
Sam was speaking to Ellie, into her ear, but what she said to her oldest friend was between the two women. Neither man could catch it.   
Malcolm took Jamie upstairs and the two men made sure the two little girls were laid side by side in Grace's bed. Neither child stirred.   
Jamie felt his friend's hand on his back as they stood back, looking down on their pair of sleeping princesses.  
"They'll be fine! Come on mate.....let's crack open that bottle!" 

Jamie sniffed, despite himself. 

"Fuck Malcolm, I love her so much......her and Ellie both.....you know?" 

"Course I know, you stupid fucker! I'm the same......it's our girls......we just want to fucking protect them from all the cunts out there......hold them close......never let them go! God help the first boy Grace ever brings home.......I'm gonna have his dick tied to a post......with the threat that if he touches her I'll saw the bloody thing off!" 

Jamie laughed, in spite of himself. Malcolm clapped him on the back.

"Come on you daft prick, let's go down and join the ladies!" 

The bottle was already open and Sam and Ellie were well into their first glass.   
Ellie's eyes were red and puffy, but she clung round her husband's neck when he came into the kitchen.   
"It's lasagne.....hope that's okay?" Sam said, as she produced a bowl of salad and some dressing.   
"Sam.....I'd eat dog shit, if that's what you were serving!" Jamie said, with a deep sigh.  
"Fuck......sorry.......we're having that tomorrow night!" Malcolm grinned. 

After they'd eaten and the plates cleared, Sam bought out cheeses, crackers and a bunch of grapes to graze on while they worked. They spread all Jamie's financial papers out on the table.   
Fired up the computer, opened a new spread sheet.   
Malcolm had a way with money matters, it was one of the many things at which he was very adept.

Specs on, half way down his beaky nose, his bright beady eyes scanning the figures knowledgeably.   
A pad and pencil at his side, held in his long fingers. He totted up the columns without a calculator, inputting each figure as Jamie wrote them down, noting the various sums and investments his friend had made.   
Working out his liquidity, his disposable cash, his earnings, cash flow, outgoings, loans, interest and insurances. 

Oiled by the wine, the conversation animated, and increasingly curse strewn as the two Scots and their respective wives put their heads together to thrash out the collateral damage. 

"Fuck! Jamie.....did no one ever say to you about having all your eggs in one fucking basket!" Malcolm frowned and scratched his head. 

"Right.....here's how it stands.....it's not as bad as you first thought. These cunts will go to trial and eventually you might get a payout, although I wouldn't hold your breath, but anything you do get will be better than a slap in the face with a wet kipper. You can recoup something from your other smaller investments. You're not fucking destitute. You will not be sleeping on a park bench with a bottle in a brown paper bag. Ellie won't have to go on the game! So stop snivelling for fucks sake!" He refilled his best friend's glass.  
Ellie snorted her wine as she stifled a laugh. 

"Your Investment insurances are good ones, they'll pay out......you'll get something back on those. I think you should put that fucking great pile you live in on the market.....you'll get a great price for it.....you bought it for chicken feed, house prices have rocketed in your area, you'll make a fucking killing.   
Buy something nice, but smaller, in a good area.....preferably not too far from Sam....because if she doesn't get to see Ellie, I'm gonna get loads of fucking grief! Get shot of that fucking great Chelsea tractor, that guzzles fuel and buy a smaller run around."

"I'll ring the estate agent in the morning, arrange a valuation." His friend replied, thoughtfully. 

"No Jamie.......you ring three estate agents......you get them all to give you a price.......you need an overview.........while the house is on the market I'll pay your mortgage.....keep you up to date. Your earnings will cover your bills, no trouble, once the outstanding ones are paid off. I'll sort them out tomorrow. Start off on an even footing. Once we've crossed that hurdle, we'll know more clearly where we stand.   
Right.......what's next.....? Any savings? Money in the bank? Rembrandt in the attic? Ming dynasty vase you're going to inherit from Great Aunt Jessie?" 

He paused, amused at his own flippancy, and looked up from his notes, three sets of eyes were staring at him. Sam's and Ellie's both in tears. Jamie shaking his head in total disbelief. 

"What?" He said. "What the fuck's the matter now?" 

Ellie rose, came around the table and threw her arms around Malcolm's neck, sobbing into his jumper.   
"Stop it woman.....people will talk!" He winked at Sam over his shoulder.   
"Malcolm. That you would just do this!" She whispered.   
"Fuck mate! Above and beyond!" Jamie said quietly, and reached his hand out to touch Malcolm's arm.  
"Oh shut the fuck up and drink your drink!" Malcolm snapped, trying to cover his discomfiture. 

oOo

It was late. Their friends had gone home.   
Leaving little Jess behind rather than disturb her from a deep sleep.   
Malcolm climbed out of the shower. Towelled himself vigorously.   
Snuck in under the covers, next to his fucking gorgeous sexy, and buck naked woman.

How fucking lucky was he? 

She, the most wonderful female in existence was married to him. HIM!   
Not only that, but she'd given him three beautiful, gifted, intelligent children, that he loved more than life itself.   
He had a home. He was financially secure, for his lifetime. He really had few worries. Even if he never wrote another thing, the royalties on his books as they stood, would keep him in shoe leather till his dying day.   
Fuck, but he was a fortunate bastard! Five years before he had nothing, not really.   
No legacy, no friends.....no real friends.....no fucking life, no kids. Nothing except a pending stomach ulcer and a miserable lonely future. 

Fuck it all! 

He was so close to grizzling like a baby! Soft bugger that he was!   
The scourge of DOSaC.....once feared and reviled.......reborn, as a lover, a husband, a father, a fucking hero!   
Who'd a thunk! 

Sam snuggled against her husband's side.   
"I love you so much Malcolm Tucker, you know that right?" She murmured, sleepily.   
"I've had too much to drink!" Was his slightly slurred reply. 

"You'll have a hangover in the morning then! I've no sympathy!" Her head was on his chest.   
"Fuck Sam.....that could so easily have been us! You realise that? I was tempted by City Trading at the time, you know?" He absentmindedly circled his fingers on her bare shoulder.   
"Yes. Malcolm. I do realise. And I realise how lucky we are, I'm thankful for it every single day, that your books are so successful and that you've made more in the last five years than in the previous fifteen. So you're in a position to help Jamie."   
"He's my mate for Christ's sake! He's like a brother to me. Nearest thing I've ever had. How can I not help him? I'm glad I can. Fuck, I love the stupid bastard!"   
"I know, sweetie. I know!..........Malcolm..........?" She crooned, he raised his eyebrows expressively at her alluring tone. 

"What is it?" His hand continued its circling motion, but he knew......of course he knew.   
"I want you.......please! I really do! Love me?" She shifted slightly in his embrace.   
He groaned in mock annoyance.   
"Fuck! Sam........my cock's as limp as yesterday's fucking lettuce.......I've had a sodding skin full of vino!"   
"Well, I'll have to see what I can do about that then, won't I?" Her hand stroked gently down his stomach towards his thighs, pointedly just avoiding his groin area.   
She smiled to herself as she felt him give a little shiver, and move his hips in the direction of her hand, heard his breathing pattern change almost imperceptibly. 

"Fucking hell Sam......you're such a fucking tease.....you know that!" She let her fingers walk up his inner thigh very slowly until she reached his balls, cupping him with a delicate touch.   
"Holy sh.......Fuck you!" He growled.   
"Yes, please!" She whispered, then let out a muffled shriek and a giggle as he attacked her with both mouth and questing fingers, using his superior size and weight to quickly overpower her.   
He was merciless, wicked, and she loved it, she was soon begging for him, with no shame. 

Holding himself poised above her. Letting her feel his length, so close to where she craved it most.  
"You want me?" He rubbed himself against her clit. "Say it!"   
"Oh......fuck......Malcolm......yes.......fuck.......please........just fuck me......Jesus!"  
"Thought the old fucker was too drunk to get it up eh? I'm fucking self raising Lazarus......"  
"Oh shut up, cut the clack and just fuck me!" 

He didn't need any more encouragement. He never did where Sam was concerned, because making love to his wife made life worth living. Their union was his joy.   
"You asked for it Doll!"   
He pounded into her without ceremony or finesse. Completing himself and her very quickly.  
She gasped under him as she came.  
"Oh shit! Malcolm! God, I love it when you do what you do! You're such a sexy bastard. You're MY sexy bastard. You turn me on so much!"   
He fell forwards on to her with a puff. Heart thumping in his chest.   
"And you are the most beautiful, the most delicious, fucking hot woman I've ever known. Shit!   
I can never hold back with you, you make me so crazy!" 

They slept, dove-tailed together. She on her back, he on his side, as close to her as he could get. Left leg under hers, the other on top. One arm slung across her middle. Satisfied and content. 

Until they were both rudely awakened in the early morning, by a little blonde cloud headed girl, in a Disney nightie, clutching a worn and battered teddy by its neck. 

"Mummy! Daddy!.........Wake up! Jess is asleep in my bed, how did she get there?" 

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much @petersgal for the great prompts. I appreciate you coming up with such great ideas for me to make into stories!! Xxx

**Author's Note:**

> The second part of the story follows on directly.


End file.
